fishbat, Inc. Discusses the Viral Video of Rutgers Coach Mike Rice

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In response to an article published by the New York Daily News detailing the controversial footage of Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice, social media agency fishbat Inc. issues a statement in response to the video.

Bohemia, NY (PRWEB)April 04, 2013

On April 4, social media agency fishbat, Inc. issues a response to a New York Daily News article, which details a video showing a basketball coach’s abusive behavior toward players.

According to the article published by the New York Daily News, Mike Rice, the basketball coach for the Rutgers men’s basketball team, was fired after a video surfaced showing his inappropriately violent behavior toward his players. The video displays practice footage of Rice throwing basketballs at player’s heads and kicking them while using obscene language.

The 43-year-old coach had just completed his third season of coaching at Rutgers, the article says. However, he had been previously rehabilitated for his harsh behavior last year. The article says the athletic director made the decision to keep Rice and facilitate his rehabilitation back in December, but terminated his contract after the video surfaced.

Justin Maas, vice president of client relations for social media agency fishbat, Inc., says the power of social media could work to promote a good cause, but it can also destroy a career. “People need to realize that the advent of social media makes it possible for news to spread at a rapid speed,” he says. “And it's part of human nature that scandalous news tends to move faster. Here, we see how one video from ESPN could cause the entire world to stop and stare at a particular group of people. In this case, it’s Rutgers University.”

Maas says the video went viral, becoming a trending topic on Twitter and making headlines across various news sources. “The video on YouTube has nearly one million views,” he says. “It’s important to realize how one mistake has the potential to cause chaos on the Internet. Ten years ago, this probably wouldn’t have happened. The video might have been shown on the evening news, but now, this video could be watched by millions of people. Social media is where people obtain their news now. This situation has already proven how disastrous a negative viral video could be for the college and the former coach. It’s definitely going to deter prospective students, athletes, employees and businesses from associating with Rutgers.”

fishbat, Inc. is a full-service online marketing firm and social media agency. We’re branding experts that can help your business be a part of the conversations that are already happening. Through social media management, search engine optimization (SEO), web design, and public relations, we can raise awareness about your brand, strengthen your corporate image, and place your business in front of your ideal audience.